Mission Trails community isn't giving up yet

Published 12:00 am, Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Photo: Jeremy Gerlach / Southside Reporter

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Residents of Mission Trails Mobile Home Community rally at City Hall to announce lawsuits against the city of San Antonio and property owners American Family Communities. The residents don't want to move to make way for high-end apartments. less

Residents of Mission Trails Mobile Home Community rally at City Hall to announce lawsuits against the city of San Antonio and property owners American Family Communities. The residents don't want to move to ... more

Photo: Jeremy Gerlach / Southside Reporter

Mission Trails community isn't giving up yet

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Whether through candlelight vigils, protests or tearful exchanges with the San Antonio City Council, residents of Mission Trails Mobile Home Community say they've tried everything to prevent the impending redevelopment of their park, which would force them to relocate.

Now, add a pair of lawsuits to their efforts.

Residents who have formed the non-profit “Mission Rescue” are suing the city of San Antonio and American Family Communities in state court. Colorado-based American Family Communities owns and operates the 21-acre property where the mobile homes are located. It's planning to sell the property to White-Conlee, a local developer that wants to turn the space into a $75 million, mixed-use project with more than 400 mission-style apartments.

The City Council approved a rezoning request for the project May 15.

In response, 40 residents lined the steps of City Hall last week, brandishing picket signs. Their $1 million suit against American Family Communities lists numerous complaints about services at the mobile home park, while the suit against the city seeks to void the rezoning approval.

Neither company representatives nor city attorneys could be reached for comment by press time.

Meanwhile, District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran disputed residents' claims that the city didn't do enough to notify them of the zoning change.

“I hope residents know that (the city and property managers) have been trying to make ourselves available since before the decision,” said Viagran, pointing to several public notices posted at Mission Branch Library, where she said the city, San Antonio ISD and White-Conlee have placed information to aid residents in moving out.

“We've sent letters regarding the (zoning change), and we're going to continue to do all we can do to make (this information) available to residents,” she added.

Attorney Nicole Elizalde, who is representing the residents pro bono, said that White-Conlee's proposed relocation package for park residents isn't as beneficial as it might sound. The developer is offering residents who depart by a July deadline either $2,000 or the Bexar County-appraised price for units that are too old or too decrepit to move, up to a maximum of about $7,500.

While this offer has been repeatedly sweetened since the project became public in February, Elizalde said residents wouldn't receive any money until after they move out.

“That defeats the whole purpose of such an incentive,” she said, noting many residents can't afford to move.